Machine for measuring the area of surfaces.



No. 738,580. Y PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

' R. W. STROUT. i

MACHINE FOR MEASURING THB AREA OF SURFACES.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 2a. 1902.

PATENTED s139138, 190s.

- R. W- STEPUFT. MACHINE POR MESURING` THE AREA 0F SURFAGES.

APPLICATION FILED Alm 23| 1902- N0 MODEL.`

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YaLI'rNn., wnsmnoron, a cr No. 738,580.4 PATENTED SBPT.- a, 1903.

R. W. sTRoUT.

MACHINE POR MESURING THE AREA OF SURFACES. 4 APPLICATION FILED APR. 2a. 19,02.

No Mohn. i 3 SHEETS-SHBBT 3.

I/ NTOR.

A TTORNEK o its. 738,580.

UNITED t STATES i Patented September S, 1903.;

rPATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT WV. STROUT, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO VAUGHN `MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

MACHINE FOR MEASURING THE AREA OF SURFACES.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 738,580, dated September 8, 1903.

Application filed April 28, 1902. Serial Nn. 105,104. (No model.)

tion with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a machine for measuring the surface area of material in sheet form and is especially designed and adapted forlmeasuring and registering the surface area of hides, skins, and leather.

The present invention has for its object to provide a measuringfmachine which when adjusted for measuring thin stock can be used Without readjustment for measuring thicker stock.

The invention furtherhas for its object ,toy

provide a machine With Which a more accurate registration of the surface measured may be obtained.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification'.

Figure l is a front elevation of a measuringmachine embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a sectional detail, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the machine shown ingFig. lgFig' 3, a detail in section; and elevation of the `machine shown in Fig. 2 looking toward the left; Figa, a detail, on an enlarged scale, of

the upper portion ofthe machine shown in `35` Fig. 1 looking from the rear of the machine; Fig 5, a detail in elevation, on-an enlarged scale, of the compounding levers shownin Fig. l; and Fig. G, a plan'view of the' levers suitablevbearings a bed-roll c, which is rotated in anysuitable manner. The bed-roll c hascoperating With ita series of rotatable measuring devices, preferablywheels CZ, each of which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is mounted on a shaft or pin c, supported at the end ofthe long arm of an elbow-lever f, pivoted at g in a bracket h, secured to a cross-bar t', forniin g part of the framework of themachine.

The measuring-Wheel d is provided, as "shown, With a hub j, having teeth k, which form a pinion, with which cooperates a rotatable toothed device, preferablya wheel or gear m, mounted on a shaft frz), supported by the long arm of an elbow-lever o, mounted on a pivotp, Which is supported by the bracket h substantially in line with the pivot gfor the elbowdever f. The toothed Wheel m has attached to it a drum q, to which one end of a chain or other iiexible connection ris fastened, the said chain passing under a drum or pulley s, mounted on the pivot p for the lever o, and then over a pulley 5, carried by a link 6, attached to a lever 7. (See Fig. 1;) The chain 7' after passing over the pulley 5 passes down under a pulley or drum s and is connected with the drum q of the next adjacent toothed Wheel or gear m, cooperating With the next adjacent measuring-Wheel.

The elbow-lever j is provided with a short arm 8, with which cooperates the end of an adj usting-rod 9, which is carried by the elbowlever o, the latter having a short arm lO extended toward the short arm 8 of the lever f 75 and being provided With a screw-threaded eye, which is engaged by the screw-threaded portion l2 of the adjusting-rod 9, the latter 1 `at its front end being extended through an eye in a downwardly-extended front portion of the elbow-lever o.

The toothed Wheel or gear m has coperating With it a holding-pawl 13, fastona rock-shaft 14, having bearings in suitable brackets or arms 15, attached to the side frames d b.

' y By means of the adj ustin grod the toothed By reason of the fact that the drum s is concentric With the pivot p for the lever o the further elevation of the Wheel d by thicker work doesnot interfere with the accuracy of the machine, which does not have to be readj usted for thicker work, for the reason that the length of the chain r between the drum q and the drum or pulley s does not change, being substantially constant. This is an important feature practically, as errors due to unevenness in the thickness of the hide or skin being measured are avoided, for the chain or flexible connection r is maintained taut under all conditions, thus avoiding retrograde movements of the pointer or index 60, which would take place if the relation of the levers f 0 was changed, so as to produce slack in the said chain.

In thev present instance the measuringwheels d are connected in pairs by the chain r, `passing over the pulley 5, and the said pulleys are supported from the levers 7, herein' shown as ten in number and connected in pairs, as represented in Fig. 1 and more clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each pair of levers 7 being pivoted to the opposite ends of a bar 70, to which is attached at its center a link 71, two of which links are connected to the lever 16, two to the lever 17, and one to the lever 18, which latter is also connected to the lever 17. The levers 16 18 are connected to the lever 19, which is fulcrumed on a knifeedge washer 20, retained on a threaded rod 21 by nuts 22, the said rod being extended through the lever 19 and hung by the flexible connection or chain 23 from a drum 24, mounted on a shaft 25, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) provided with a crank or arm 26, having, as

. herein shown, a longitudinally-extended slot 27, in which is fitted asliding block 28, which suitable graduation indicative of the surface) 'In operation with the machine herein shown i the wheels CZ are normally resting upon the, bed-roll c, and the toothed wheel mis adj ust-iv ed by'means of the rod 9, so as to just clearg the pinion k, thus leaving the Wheels d inI contact with the roll c free to be revolved byy the latter without moving the index or pointer.

When, however, ahide or skin to be measuredl is inserted between the wheels d and the bedroll, as represented in Fig. 2, those wheels in; contact with the hide or skin are raised and the wheels m are simultaneously lowered un-g til the pinions le are engaged with their cop-ll erating toothed wheels m, so that the rotation of the wheels d in the direction indicatedl by the arrow 40, Fig. 2, produces movement? ofthe index or pointer over the dial 37.-

`,Vhen the material passedthrough the machine is thicker than that for which the machine is iirst adjusted, it is unnecessary with this machine to readjust it for said thicker material, inasmuch as the measuring-wheels d and their cooperating toothed wheels m can be elevated by the thicker stock without effecting movement of therindex or pointer,;

owing to the fact that the status of the chain r is not changed bythe elevation of the wheel m, because the distance between the drum q and the drum or pulley s remains the same or substantially the same under all conditions.

By means of the adjusting screw 29 the sliding block 28 can be moved toward or from the shaft 25, so as to vary the lthrow of the crank, and thus move the pointer, so as to adjust the machine to measure accurately. vFor this purpose -a hide or skin or other surface whose area is known is used as a standard and is run through the machine, and if the pointer or index indicates on the scale more or less than the standard or known area the sliding block 28 is adjusted in its slot until the pointer or index registers the correct area.

The adjusting-screw 29 and the adjustingrod 9 are both accessible by the operator from the front of the machine. The toothed wheels are returned to their normal position, witha lug 50 on the wheel in engagement with a lug or projection 5l on the lever o, by acounterweighted lever 52, loose on a shaft 53 and having its arm 54 joined by a chain or `other flexible connection 55 with the chain r beyond the pivot p. The pawls 13 may be disengaged from the toothed wheels m by the operator rocking or turning the shaft 14 in the proper direction through the handle or crank on said rock-shaft. The weight of the segment 34 is suiiicient to maintain the chain-23 and the portion of the chain r above the pivot p under proper tension at all times.

The machine is provided, as herein shown, with suitable tables 58 59, located on opposite sides of the bed-roll, as represented in Fig. 2.

I claim- 1. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a plurality of measuringwheels, pinions attached thereto, a plurality of toothed wheels coperating with said pinions, elbow-levers supporting said measuring and toothed wheels, and provided witharms extended toward each other, and an adjusting device extended through one of saidA arms and engaging the other,substantiallyas described.

ICO

IIO

wheels, pinions attached thereto, a plurality of toothed wheels coperating with said pinions, levers in which said wheels are mounted, an index or pointer, means connecting said index or pointer with said toothed wheels, said means including a flexible portion atltached tothe toothed-wheel vnear its hub or center and passed about the pivot for the lever supporting said toothed wheel, and means connected with said flexible portion to automatically return the toothed devices to their "starting position, substantially as described.

`3. In a machine ofthe character' described, in combination, an index or pointer, a shaft provided with a crank or arm having a slot, ablock slidable in said slot, mechanism connecting said index or pointer With said slidof said mechanism With said crank or arm 'to vary the throw of said crank or arm, measuring-Wheels, and means totransmit rotation of said measuring-Wheels to said crank-shaft, substantially as' described.

5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, an index or pointer, a shaft on Which it is mounted, a pinion on said shaft, asegmental gear in mesh with said pinion, a shaft provided With a crank, a device movable longitudinally onsaid crank, mechanism connecting said device with said segmental gear, measuring-Wheels, and mechanism to transmit rotation lof saidA measuring-Wheels to said crank-shaft, substantially as'described.

G. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a plurality of measuring- Wheels, elbow-levers in which said measuring-Wheels are mounted, pinions attached Vto Vsaid Wheels, rotatable toothed devices copl erating with said `pinions, elbow-levers in Which said toothed devices' are mounted', said levers having arms extended toward each other', and means cooperating With said arms for adjusting `the rotatable toothed devices and measuring-Wheels relative to each other, substantially as described. i

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a rotatable toothed device, a pivoted support in which said device is mounted to rotate, a rotatable measuring device provided with means for engagement with said rotatable toothed device, means to support said measuring device, a registering device, and means connecting said registering device with said rotatable toothed device, said means includinga iexible portion passed about the pivot of the support for said rotatable `toothed device and connected with said rotatable toothed device, whereby the support for the rotatable toothed device may be turned on its pivot Without effecting the registering mechanism, and means connected With said flexible portion to automatically return the toothed devices to their starting position, substantially as described.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a rotatable measuring de# vice adapted to make contact With the surface to be measured, a rotatable toothed device coperating With said measuring device, aregistering mechanism, means for connecting said registering mechanism With said rotatable toothed device, including a iexible portion and means for permitting bodily movement of the rotatable toothed device Without operating the registering mechanism, and means connected With said flexible portion to automatically return the toothed devices to their starting position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT W. .sTRoUTQV 

